We could not have asked for a more perfect morning to shoot this session – it was actually overcast (hard to believe here in the Valley of the Sun!)… weather was beautiful, and look at how adorable these two sisters are!

I shot this session at the DC Ranch Market Street area …and really loved it! I’ll definitely be heading back to Scottsdale to shoot here… so many possibilities!

To personalize these simple and timeless looks you need accessories. Accessories = fun, eclectic, classic, bold, delicate, etc. This is where each member of the family gets to show a little of their own personality without taking over the portrait. It says ME without screaming… and that’s where we can help.

For the girls in the family, it’s easy! Jewelry is usually the first way to personalize your portrait look. Start with what you wear every day and never take off: wedding rings, lockets, etc. Then add anything else that has special meaning and suits the look of the day. If your outfit still needs a little oomph, the first two sets above will look great with chunky, natural looking pieces, and for the third set, try pearls or long, multi-strand colored “gemstone” necklaces.

For guys, add a tee under a sweater or shirt, try a great belt, pay attention to your shoes, and choose jewelry that matters to you as well.

Fall portraits don’t always mean traditional “fall” colors. Let’s take a look at this week’s selections from Old Navy and Gap:

The evergreen selection is more traditional without screaming “HELLO THESE ARE OUR FAMILY HOLIDAY PORTRAITS” and the contemporary lines of the clothing keep the colors from being stuffy. The blue monochrome set in the middle takes it a step further with contemporary lines AND a fun, bright color. With the navy/raspberry set at the bottom, you step back to a more traditional color with navy, pop it with the raspberry and again with the striped dress, but the lines of the clothing choices themselves are more simple and traditional. Easy peasy!

Let’s talk shoes. (I hear women everywhere applauding!) When it comes to portraits, usually barefoot is best but what do you do when the weather or the location or the clothing style calls for shoes? For styles like these from Old Navy which we suggest wearing with jeans or other simple pants, a great pair of boots, simple slip-on leather style for men or women or kids, and for girls big and small, ballerina flats. Try Piper Lime (Gap’s shoe division) for some great picks!

Today marks the beginning of the Fall series of Fashionista Fridays! For the next 5 weeks we’ll be bringing you coordinating fashions from GAP and Old Navy – but really, these ideas will translate to any stores. It’s all about coordinating colors, not the actual clothing items themselves. Learning to mix colors and blending in a single color palette so that YOU are the focus of your family portrait and not your clothing – it’s an art and a science and I’m here to help.

Using the palette boxes on the left, you can see exactly what colors to use for accessories and be sure to keep bottoms very simple. Brown, khaki, black, navy, or denim. TADA!

More fun comfy summer looks from The Gap for a burst of color in your family portraits. These clothes will look fabulous in park, urban, desert, lake or garden settings and keep you cool while you get ready for your close-up.

Absolutely perfect for urban, park, woods, garden, home… you name it, these outfits from The Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic have you covered! There are enough options here to suit any family and you can switch tops and bottoms for different fun looks and keep everyone coordinated. Am I amazing or what? [don't answer, that's a rhetorical question] :)